I use an Orion 8" Newtonian on a Celestron CG5 ASGT Equatorial mount.
I use all Celestron Eyepieces.
I use a TouCam Pro 840 webcam for imaging. The software I use is as follows:-

The Camera Itself:

How to make a TouCam do Long Exposure stuff (not for the faint hearted or people with 10 thumbs). I have done these modifications and can describe how to do it without lifting legs on expensive delicate chips.

Most of this software is freeware or shareware. Clear Skies and Happy Computing

Copernicus had those Renaissance ladies
Crazy about his telescope
And Galileo had a name that made his
Reputation higher than his hopes
Did none of those astronomers discover
While they were staring out into the dark
That what a lady looks for in her lover
Is Charm, Strangeness and QuarkHAWKWIND - QUARK, STRANGENESS AND CHARM

As someone who has tinkered with a modified webcam (Thanks Joe Zelinski!) A Logitec that I use for lunar and planetary, I find that my biggest problem is achieving a good focus.

How do you do your focusing?

Thanks,
Sandy

Junior

Status: offline

Registered: 06/02/09 Posts: 34

By: Anonymous: Donna () on Wednesday, August 31 2005 @ 10:35 AM EDT

Anonymous: Donna

Anonymous: Donna

Sandy,

You can use a mask. Mine is very cheap and easy -- got an embroidery hoop that will fit over the dew shield and glued 2 wooden shishkabab skewers at right angles -- you know, a + sign. (That's not fully necessary though, being perfect.) When you focus on the star, there will be diffraction spikes and the longer and thinner they are, the better focus you've achieved.

I actually use a Hartman mask. i also use an embroidery hoop, with some black felt stretched in it. I have two holes cut either side of center point (standard Hartman mask) but then between the holes, above the center, I have a triangular hole. With this, either side of good focus, not only do you get two stars, or two moons, but you also see a little triangle that always points to the center. The triangle swaps direction each side of focus.

The software VEGA that I referred to, also has a FOCUSSING feature. Basically a full screen streamed video from your webcam that is very easy to use with a Hartman mask to get focus. It also supports binning so you get very bright objects to focus on. I generally use 2x2 binning.

Unfortunately, the link to Colin Bownes VEGA is broken so the software is not available. However, it is freeware, so I am sure no-one will mind if I made copies for other people. Let me know.

Copernicus had those Renaissance ladies
Crazy about his telescope
And Galileo had a name that made his
Reputation higher than his hopes
Did none of those astronomers discover
While they were staring out into the dark
That what a lady looks for in her lover
Is Charm, Strangeness and QuarkHAWKWIND - QUARK, STRANGENESS AND CHARM

Oh, I forgot, I also use a remote electronic focusser. I built several myself on limited budgets that worked very well. I now own an Orion remote focusser. It fits on almost any Rack and Pinion or Crayford focusser. I do not know if it will work on a SCT.

Copernicus had those Renaissance ladies
Crazy about his telescope
And Galileo had a name that made his
Reputation higher than his hopes
Did none of those astronomers discover
While they were staring out into the dark
That what a lady looks for in her lover
Is Charm, Strangeness and QuarkHAWKWIND - QUARK, STRANGENESS AND CHARM

I have been considering modifying my LX200 cover to serve as some sort of focus mask. Is there a good general description of how to make a good mask? I have seen some that just have two holes... others have diamonds, others have "crosses". I need a primer on the theory behind all these...

Copernicus had those Renaissance ladies
Crazy about his telescope
And Galileo had a name that made his
Reputation higher than his hopes
Did none of those astronomers discover
While they were staring out into the dark
That what a lady looks for in her lover
Is Charm, Strangeness and QuarkHAWKWIND - QUARK, STRANGENESS AND CHARM

You got it. Remote = Electronic. Just something to keep my clumsy hands away from the telescope when focusing.

Copernicus had those Renaissance ladies
Crazy about his telescope
And Galileo had a name that made his
Reputation higher than his hopes
Did none of those astronomers discover
While they were staring out into the dark
That what a lady looks for in her lover
Is Charm, Strangeness and QuarkHAWKWIND - QUARK, STRANGENESS AND CHARM